


The Best of Friends

by fuckoffmarcel



Category: One Direction (Band)
Genre: AU, Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - College/University, Best Friends, College, F/M, Fluff, Happy, Happy Ending, Sledding, University, Winter
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-10-06
Updated: 2013-10-06
Packaged: 2017-12-28 15:52:19
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,680
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/993744
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/fuckoffmarcel/pseuds/fuckoffmarcel





	The Best of Friends

I had been in the library since 6pm and now, it was about 2 in the morning. I was surrounded by stacks of books, notes and paper boxes of cold Chinese food. Sitting back in the hard wooden chair I stretched out, my sweater sleeves held in my palms. I glanced up when I heard a cough, glancing around for the source.

A mop of floppy brown hair was peeping out of a grey beanie, a flannel hoodie popped up over his head. Hands shoved in vest pockets and baggy snow pants covering his boots, Harry nodded to me. I waved him over, yawning a little. He threw himself down on the sofa beside me, propping his feet up on the table and putting his arms behind his head.

"I went by your room but your roommate said I could find you here. She hates me," he rubbed his eyes and grinned at me lazily. "I thought we could do something, I can’t sleep."

"I have so much work to do, finals are next week. I can’t just drop everything to entertain you," I knew I was shaking and probably sounded a little crazy. School was beyond stressing me out. I picked a book up and start flipping through it trying to find the page I needed. "Harry, the biggest tests of my life are next week!"

"Yeah, next week," he stood up and plucked the book out of my hands.

"Hey! Give that back!" I stood up, trying to get the book back.

"Nope. You need a break and I need some fun, so no more studying tonight. You’re going to die or something if you keep stressing yourself out like this," he said, holding my book above his head while I jumped and tried to reach it.

"No Harry," I stomped my feet at him, "now give me back my book, go back to your room and go to bed."

"I won’t!"

"I’m going to keep studying, I’m not going to go outside into the cold," I sat back down, pulling paper towards me. Harry chuckled, put the book down and sat down on my desk.

"This is the last time I’m going to be nice about it," I could see him trying not to grin.

"Harry do not even think about it, I swear to God, do not-" he scooped me up, tossing me over his shoulder and I couldn’t stop the laugh that bubbled out of me. 

"See! You’re laughing! God I knew you were just being stubborn. Or maybe you’re finally going mad," he shrugged, putting me down. "Come on, put on your coat. I brought you these," he handed me ski pants, "we’re going to go play outside. In the snow." I brightened at that.

"It finally snowed? I love snow!" I was now bouncing up and down.

"I know you do!" he was grinning now, the skin around his eyes crinkling he was smiling so widely. "That’s why I’m here. Snow." I zipped my coat up to my chin and struggled to keep the ski pants up. 

"These damn pants are huge Harry. And you know you’re here because you looooove me," I sang, poking his cheek. He blushed and cleared his throat, not making eye contact with me. But then he shook his head and his smile was back. 

"Well you can take them off and play in the snow in your sweats but that doesn’t sound like much fun and I know you’ll be whiney as hell," I punched him in the arm.

"Shut up! I don’t whine, you yeti-sized bone head!" I said defensively. He laughed again and offered me his arm.

"My lady?" 

"You’re the worst," I hooked my arm through his. 

"That seems like a fair statement," he saw me glance at my bag, "leave it. It’s 2am no one will touch it." 

"Fine, but we have to come back and get it," he nodded and we moved to the door, cold air rushing in as he pushed it open. I yelped a little and curled into his side.

"It’s fucking cold!" he coughed, arm wrapped around my shoulder as we walked down the stairs and onto the campus green.

"Course it is! It’s nearly Christmas," I smiled, shaking my head at him.

"Do you remember Christmas freshmen year?" he glanced down at me and smiled, a nostalgic look plastered across his face.

"How could I not? I got stuck here because my flight home got cancelled and you stayed because you didn’t want to leave your roommate alone," I said.

"And you found me in the commons kitchen trying to make noodles in the coffee pot."

"You broke the damn thing didn’t you?" I laughed. remembering gangly, awkward freshmen Harry. When I’d walked in the room he’d looked up guiltily, shards of glass all over the floor.

"I was so bloody embarrassed. The only girl still on campus had just caught me acting like a complete fool," he blushed a little, shaking his head.

"I’m sorry I laughed at you. You just look so scared. Like you thought I would yell at you. But I helped you clean up and then we went to that diner for lunch instead."

"And then you taught me how to make noodles when we got back."

"Yeah I did."

"We’ve been the best of friends since, haven’t we?"

"That we have, Styles." I smiled up at him and then leaned in to hug him. 

"Did you just sniffle?"

"No!" 

"You definitely did."

"Fine, maybe I did but you’re the one reminding me about how I met my best friend in the whole world," I wiped at my eyes.

"You big old sop!" he pushed me playfully and I shoved him back.

"Where are we going? You’re not going to kill me in the woods right?"

"Nope! Well not tonight," I shoved him again, "ah, here we are."

We’d reached the hill that sloped down towards the main dining hall, a steep thing that was covered in a thick layer of snow. I grinned at Harry, knowing what he’d planned.

"You didn’t!"

"I did," he walked over to a cluster of trees and bushes near the edge and pulled a single sled out of a hiding place. 

"I’ve always wanted to-"

"You’ve always wanted to sled here, yes I know. I remembered," he looked very proud of himself. 

"Ah! This is so exciting!" I squealed.

"Would you look at that. A 20 something year old screaming about sledding. Blood Americans!"

"Oh shove off!" 

"You’re so irritable for such a little thing," he smirked at me.

"Would you shut up and let me sled?" I said and obligingly he handed it to me. The first time I went down the hill I screamed the whole way and behind me I could hear Harry chuckling too. I climbed back up the hill slowly, dragging the heavy wooden sled behind me.

"Can I try this time?" Harry asked, looking like a five year old on Christmas morning. I frowned at that, I didn’t want to wait to go again.

"We could both ride it. I’ll sit in the back or something?" he suggested, glancing down at his pigeon toed boots. 

"Yeah! That’s fine," he grinned as I shrugged my shoulders. I sat down on the front half, grabbing the rope and slotting my feet into the footholds. "Come on! We don’t have all night!"

Harry shuffled forward awkwardly. He wrapped his arms around my waist, legs alongside mine. He tucked his face into my shoulder.

"Ready?" I asked and he nodded. "Three, two, one!" I pushed us off and we were sailing down the hill, the wind whipping past and snow catching in our hair. I could hear Harry laughing in my ear and his hair was tickling my neck. He shifted behind me and before we could do anything, we were falling off the sled and into the snow. 

We landed, wrapped up together, a muddle of arms and legs and laughs and heavy breathing. I was coughing a bit, Harry’s scratchy wool scarf in my face. I was laying on top of Harry and when I propped myself up a bit I was face to face with him. I could see snowflakes caught in his eye lashes, I could feel his breath on my face, and see in high definition his bright pink cheeks and nose/

"Hi," I breathed, not moving a muscle.

"Hi," he brought his face up to mine, so we were nose to nose. Everything was blurry but his green eyes. His eyes were scanning my face. "You look like a snow fairy or something. Like that ballet."

"The Nutcracker?" I laughed. He nodded, opened his mouth and paused.

"You want to know something?" Harry said.

"Mhm?" I barely moved my lips, waiting.

"I’m in love with you," the worlds fell naturally from his lips, tongue flicking over his lips. "I wish I’d known what I was getting myself into when I dropped that coffee pot to get your attention."

"It was an accident," I insisted.

"It wasn’t," he promised. We still hadn’t moved and I could feel his chest rising an falling with each breath, "but never in a million years did I expect this. And I’m sorry if I’ve just majorly ruined our friendship-"

"I love you too," I whispered and suddenly admitting to what I’d been trying to ignore for the past two years came crashing down. Memories came flooding back and suddenly every golden, laughing moment was roaring in my ears. Admitting that I was in love with my best friend to the freezing cold December air and the snowflakes and the bright moon above my head made it real.

But nothing made it as real as his lips crashing into mine, a hand tucked in my hair. I’d forgotten the melting snow dripping down my neck, the biting air, everything but Harry.

I’d just fallen in love with the best friend anyone could ever dream of. And luckily, easily and impossibly, he loved me too.


End file.
